Key Concept: The higher knowledges are the more children wish for them when they begin to learn (Arcana Coelestia 1472).
[When children first begin to learn] the higher things are the more they desire them; and still more when they hear that they are celestial and Divine. But this delight is natural, and arises from a desire that is of the external man (Arcana Coelestia 1472).
The order is for the celestial to inflow into the spiritual and adapt it to itself; for the spiritual thus to inflow into the rational and adapt it to itself; and for the rational thus to inflow into the memory-knowledge and adapt it to itself. But when a man is being instructed in his earliest childhood, the order is indeed the same, but it appears otherwise, namely, that he advances from memory-knowledges to rational things, from these to spiritual things, and so at last to celestial things. The reason it so appears is that a way must thus be opened to celestial things, which are the inmost. All instruction is simply an opening of the way; and as the way is opened, or what is the same, as the vessels are opened, there thus flow in, as before said, in their order, rational things that are from celestial spiritual things; into these flow the celestial spiritual things; and into these, celestial things. These celestial and spiritual things are continually presenting themselves, and are also preparing and forming for themselves the vessels which are being opened; which may also be seen from the fact that in themselves the memory-knowledge and rational are dead, and that it is from the inflowing interior life that they seem to be alive (Arcana Coelestia 1495:2).
The Lord's innocence flows into angels of the third heaven, where all are in the innocence of wisdom, and passes through the lower heavens, but only through the innocence of the angels there, and so into infants.... But unless the parents also received that influx in their souls and in the inmost regions of their minds, they would be affected by the innocence of their infants in vain. [If there is to be communication between one person and another], there must be in that other something adequate and homogeneous by which communication may be effected and which shall make for reception, affection, and hence conjunction…. Hence then it is, that the innocence flowing into the souls of parents conjoins itself with the innocence of their infants. [2] That the conjunction is effected by the mediation of the senses of the body, but especially by touch, can be learned by parents from experience. Thus, the sight is inmostly delighted at seeing them, the hearing by their speech, the smell by their odor. That the communication and thence the conjunction of the innocences is effected especially by touch, is manifestly perceived from the pleasure felt in carrying them in the arms, and from hugging and kissing them. This is especially the case with mothers…. [3] From the above, it is clear that the innocence of parents and that of infants meet each other by means of touch, especially by touch of the hands and so are conjoined as though by kisses (Conjugial Love 396:1-3e)
Man is first introduced into the innocence of childhood, which is that one knows no truth and can do no good from himself, but only from the Lord, and desires and seeks truth only because it is truth, and good only because it is good. As man afterwards advances in age good and truth are given him by the Lord. At first he is led into a knowledge of them, then from knowledge into intelligence, and finally from intelligence into wisdom, innocence always accompanying.... Without such a belief and such a perception of it no one can receive anything of heaven (Heaven and Hell 279).
That innocence is a receptacle of all things of heaven, and thus the innocence of children is a plane for all affections for good and truth, can be confirmed from what has been shown...about the innocence of angels in heaven, namely, that innocence is a willingness to be led by the Lord and not by oneself; consequently so far as a man is in innocence he is separated from his proprium, and so far as anyone is separated from his proprium he is in the Lord's proprium. The Lord's proprium is what is called His justice and merit. But the innocence of little children is not genuine innocence, because as yet it is without wisdom. Genuine innocence is wisdom, since so far as anyone is wise he loves to be led by the Lord; or what is the same so far as anyone is led by the Lord he is wise. [2] Therefore children are led from the external innocence in which they are at the beginning, and which is called the innocence of childhood, to internal innocence, which is the innocence of wisdom. This innocence is the end that directs all their instruction and progress.... [3] The wiser the angels are the more innocent they are, and the more innocent they are the more they appear to themselves as little children (Heaven and Hell 341:1-3e).
The spiritual things of the Word and of the church which a man receives from love, and which his understanding confirms, remain with him, but not so civil and political matters. For spiritual things ascend into the highest region of the mind, and there take form. This is because the Lord's entrance into man with Divine truths and goods is there, and that region is like a temple in which He resides. Whereas civil and political matters, because they belong to the world, occupy the lower regions of the mind.... Another reason why the spiritual things of the church dwell in the highest region of the mind, is that they belong to the soul, and have regard to its eternal life; and the soul is in things highest, and derives its nourishment from no other than spiritual food (True Christian Religion 494).
How Do Little Children Receive Spiritual Truths?
Key Concept: The higher knowledges are the more children wish for them when they begin to learn (Arcana Coelestia 1472).
[When children first begin to learn] the higher things are the more they desire them; and still more when they hear that they are celestial and Divine. But this delight is natural, and arises from a desire that is of the external man (Arcana Coelestia 1472).
The order is for the celestial to inflow into the spiritual and adapt it to itself; for the spiritual thus to inflow into the rational and adapt it to itself; and for the rational thus to inflow into the memory-knowledge and adapt it to itself. But when a man is being instructed in his earliest childhood, the order is indeed the same, but it appears otherwise, namely, that he advances from memory-knowledges to rational things, from these to spiritual things, and so at last to celestial things. The reason it so appears is that a way must thus be opened to celestial things, which are the inmost. All instruction is simply an opening of the way; and as the way is opened, or what is the same, as the vessels are opened, there thus flow in, as before said, in their order, rational things that are from celestial spiritual things; into these flow the celestial spiritual things; and into these, celestial things. These celestial and spiritual things are continually presenting themselves, and are also preparing and forming for themselves the vessels which are being opened; which may also be seen from the fact that in themselves the memory-knowledge and rational are dead, and that it is from the inflowing interior life that they seem to be alive (Arcana Coelestia 1495:2).
The Lord's innocence flows into angels of the third heaven, where all are in the innocence of wisdom, and passes through the lower heavens, but only through the innocence of the angels there, and so into infants.... But unless the parents also received that influx in their souls and in the inmost regions of their minds, they would be affected by the innocence of their infants in vain. [If there is to be communication between one person and another], there must be in that other something adequate and homogeneous by which communication may be effected and which shall make for reception, affection, and hence conjunction…. Hence then it is, that the innocence flowing into the souls of parents conjoins itself with the innocence of their infants. [2] That the conjunction is effected by the mediation of the senses of the body, but especially by touch, can be learned by parents from experience. Thus, the sight is inmostly delighted at seeing them, the hearing by their speech, the smell by their odor. That the communication and thence the conjunction of the innocences is effected especially by touch, is manifestly perceived from the pleasure felt in carrying them in the arms, and from hugging and kissing them. This is especially the case with mothers…. [3] From the above, it is clear that the innocence of parents and that of infants meet each other by means of touch, especially by touch of the hands and so are conjoined as though by kisses (Conjugial Love 396:1-3e)
Man is first introduced into the innocence of childhood, which is that one knows no truth and can do no good from himself, but only from the Lord, and desires and seeks truth only because it is truth, and good only because it is good. As man afterwards advances in age good and truth are given him by the Lord. At first he is led into a knowledge of them, then from knowledge into intelligence, and finally from intelligence into wisdom, innocence always accompanying.... Without such a belief and such a perception of it no one can receive anything of heaven (Heaven and Hell 279).
That innocence is a receptacle of all things of heaven, and thus the innocence of children is a plane for all affections for good and truth, can be confirmed from what has been shown...about the innocence of angels in heaven, namely, that innocence is a willingness to be led by the Lord and not by oneself; consequently so far as a man is in innocence he is separated from his proprium, and so far as anyone is separated from his proprium he is in the Lord's proprium. The Lord's proprium is what is called His justice and merit. But the innocence of little children is not genuine innocence, because as yet it is without wisdom. Genuine innocence is wisdom, since so far as anyone is wise he loves to be led by the Lord; or what is the same so far as anyone is led by the Lord he is wise. [2] Therefore children are led from the external innocence in which they are at the beginning, and which is called the innocence of childhood, to internal innocence, which is the innocence of wisdom. This innocence is the end that directs all their instruction and progress.... [3] The wiser the angels are the more innocent they are, and the more innocent they are the more they appear to themselves as little children (Heaven and Hell 341:1-3e).
The spiritual things of the Word and of the church which a man receives from love, and which his understanding confirms, remain with him, but not so civil and political matters. For spiritual things ascend into the highest region of the mind, and there take form. This is because the Lord's entrance into man with Divine truths and goods is there, and that region is like a temple in which He resides. Whereas civil and political matters, because they belong to the world, occupy the lower regions of the mind.... Another reason why the spiritual things of the church dwell in the highest region of the mind, is that they belong to the soul, and have regard to its eternal life; and the soul is in things highest, and derives its nourishment from no other than spiritual food (True Christian Religion 494).
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